Ask the Preacher
Previous Page


(Part 1) I have heard that the movie, "The Passion" is full of inaccuracies and untruths. Does it portray the details of the crucifixion accurately? - J.D.

Let me answer this with an example of the inadequacies of the objections. Some of those who object to the movie try to make a case for not taking the Gospel's accounts as trustworthy because their portrayal of the Jews do not match up to other ancient portrayals. Their explanation for this difference is that the Gospel writers were biased. In saying this, they assume that everyone else was unbiased.

However, this is simply not true. The major historical source of Jews in this time period comes from Josephus. His portrayal of the Jews is more favorable than the portrayal the Gospels give. Is this because Josephus gives an unbiased account? No. Josephus clearly has a bias and states so in his introduction.

In Wars, he doesn't merely recount dates and events, but instead lays out the causes, as he saw them, that led to the fall of Jerusalem. Josephus attempted to counter the common conception people had of Jews in Palestine as naturally being prone to rebellion and insubordination. He told how the Jews lived under rulers and governors that made it intolerable for their religious sensitivities. Some rebelled. However, those that rebelled did not represent mainstream Judaism. According to Josephys, mainstream Jews were reasonable and peaceful.

So Wars was in effect a defense of Jews and of Judaism against the charge that they were by nature a rebellious, insubordinate and unreasonable people. With that bias, is it any wonder that Josephus's portrayal of the Jews is more favorable that what the Gospel writers recount?

Contrary to what the critics have been saying, there is no reason to doubt the Gospel accounts of Christ.


John Telgren
P.O. Box 452
Leavenworth, KS 66048
Web: epreacher.org/ask
Click here to Email a Question